Among conventional combination lamps of this type, or combination lamps including a lamp unit having a DRL function in particular, is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-055004 under the title of “VEHICLE LIGHTING FIXTURE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF LAMP UNITS.”
As shown in FIG. 1, the disclosed vehicle lighting fixture (headlamp) 80 includes a headlamp (HL) unit 82, a clearance lamp (CLL) unit 86, a front turn signal lamp (FTSL) unit 88, and a daytime running lamp (DRL) unit 91 which are arranged in a lamp housing 81. The CLL unit 86 is located on an outer side of the HT unit 82. The FTSL unit 88 is located above the HL unit 82. The DRL unit 91 is located below the HL unit 82.
The HL unit 82 includes a low beam lamp 84 and a high beam lamp 85 which are juxtaposed behind a laterally-long lens (HL lens) 83. The CLL unit 86 includes a lens (CLL lens) 87. The FTSL unit 88 includes a lens 90 which includes a slender light guide member 89 extending along the upper outlines of the HL lens 83 and the CLL lens 87. The DRL unit 91 includes a lens 93 which includes a slender light guide member 92 extending along the lower outlines of the HL lens 83 and the CLL lens 87.
In such a manner, the four lamp units 82, 86, 88, and 91 can be compactly arranged to look good in a front area of the laterally-long lamp housing 81. In particular, since the lens 90 of the FTSL unit 88 and the lens 93 of the DRL unit 91 are made of the slender light guide members 89 and 92, the outer ends of both the lenses 90 and 93 can be easily curved to match the housing shape for improved visibility from beside the vehicle.
According to the foregoing vehicle lighting fixture (headlamp) 80, the four lamp units 82, 86, 88, and 91 constituting the headlamp 80 have respective fixed lamp functions when turned on for running. Of these, the DRL unit 91 which is lit and used during daytime running is unlit during nighttime finning, or if lit for running, does not contribute to any lamp function. The lamp units constituting the headlamp 80, and the DRL unit 91 in particular, are therefore low in use efficiency and far from being fully utilized.